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Fairphone 3: The hardware is competitive but the price is not

Cutbacks in design and a high price, but very sustainable in return: Fairphone 3
Cutbacks in design and a high price, but very sustainable in return: Fairphone 3
The Fairphone 3 features everything most users will need to master everyday life. However, it cannot keep up with its competitors' arms race, and given its high price many a customer will decide against sustainability.

The Fairphone 3 is a significant evolutionary step of the modular concept, and the sustainable smartphone can be taken apart and repaired if so necessary in just a few simple steps. Swapping the display, for example, is one of the easiest tasks as it is the first part you will have to remove when disassembling the device.

Hype and conscience aside potential customers will have to ask themselves what to expect from a smartphone in terms of design. If you are not a big fan of all-glass design, curved display edges, or notches and punch holes then maybe the Fairphone 3’s more conventional design language will be right for you. In addition, you get a replaceable battery, and swapping NanoSIM or microSD cards do not even require a SIM tool or other kind of needle.

Compared to the previous generation Fairphone 2 the new model has become significantly more compact and features hardware that is powerful enough. It is on a par with other lower mid-range devices, and its camera was not bad either. Quick snaps turned out quite good, and the selfie cam performed pretty well.

While weighing the importance of design and modularity is in the eye of the beholder the price certainly is not. Computing smartphones with comparable hardware are around $200 cheaper. Sustainability continues to have its price.

Source(s)

Fairphone 3 Notebookcheck review

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Fairphone 3: The hardware is competitive but the price is not
Mike Wobker, 2020-02-26 (Update: 2020-02-26)